Holiday Cheer
by Cristi0819
Summary: Stephanie isn't feeling the holiday spirit.


A/N: This is my first attempt at a Babe_Squad Challenge. I hope you all enjoy it and have a very Merry Christmas.

Holiday Cheer

It was **Christmas Eve** and I sat alone in my apartment. Normally I'd be spending the evening with my family, but I just couldn't take them this year. I was broke and depressed. I didn't have any money for **gifts** and had not even put up a Christmas **tree** or any other **decorations**. Diesel had popped in a few days ago and offered to get me a tree and spread some **holiday cheer **with **Christmas cookies** and sex, but I told him to get the hell out. I didn't want to improve my mood. Even if I'd had the money, I didn't think I could face the **crowds** and craziness to go shopping. So here I sat, looking out the fire escape at the **snow**, drinking **hot chocolate** spiked with Kahlua and getting ready to stuff my face with **chocolate covered cherries** that Lula had given me.

Morelli and I had been off for about 2 months now. I was okay with it, but it did make for some lonely nights. Ranger had been busy lately and I hadn't seen much of him. I almost thought he was avoiding me. I had only seen him a handful of times in the past several months and he was his usual closed mouthed self, but there were no kisses and virtually none of the innuendo that typically characterized our meetings. I missed him. I really missed him.

I'd never really told Ranger how I felt about him, though I suspect he knows. He knows everything. He knows just how terrified of him I really am and why. Ranger could break my heart. Though he's made some comments to me over the years that have hurt, I know that wasn't his intention. As he says, he "**loves** me in his own way." I'll just never be first for him. He is Batman after all. I'm sure he has some internal sensor that tells him he has to spend his time saving the world from evil. In fact, the last time I'd seen him, he'd popped up in the nick of time to wrestle a skip that was doing his best to choke the life out of me.

Thinking about Ranger wasn't doing anything for my mood. I felt more alone than I could ever remember feeling. I was almost in tears. I had been sitting here feeling sorry for myself and my mind was wandering in directions I normally didn't allow. I thought of Ranger and I sitting beside a **fire**, with a huge, beautiful **Christmas tree** lit up in front of us. Presents all around us and him holding me in his arms, with soft **Christmas music** playing in the background. I was delusional. That would never happen. At this moment, Ranger is probably on a stakeout trying to nab some psycho **Santa Claus** who runs guns in South America in the off-season.

I need to get over myself. I know I'll never have a relationship with Ranger, but I desperately want to remain friends. If he senses that something is wrong, he'll pull it out of me whether I like it or not. I don't want a declaration of unrequited love to destroy our friendship.

As I sniffed and took another drink of alcoholic cheer, I heard the locks tumble on my door. Turning around, I took in the beautiful sight of the man I **love**. He stopped when he saw me sitting by the window in the dark.

"I heard you could use some holiday cheer." He said.

I smiled, but felt a tear slide down my cheek.

Ranger frowned and stepped a little closer to me. "Babe, what's wrong?"

I shook my head and said, "Nothing, Ranger. I just don't have the Christmas spirit this year." I plopped a Chocolate Covered Cherry in my mouth to keep myself from saying more.

Ranger knelt beside me and gently turned my head to face him again. The tears were flowing freely now, though I had not reached the snivel and snot stage.

Ranger looked at me closely and didn't say anything for long moments. It always unnerved me when he did this. I felt like he could see through me and sense all my secret desires.

Finally, he said, "Babe, **Christmas is the time to let your heart do the thinking**. Tell me what's going on."

Wow, Ranger waxing poetic. The world would never be the same.

In that moment I realized that it was worth the risk to tell him how I feel. When he tells me he doesn't feel the same way, at least I can start getting on with my life.

I looked him in the eyes and said, "I miss you. I **love** you. Nothing's the same without you." I took a deep breath and continued, "Please be quick when you break my heart. I don't think I can take any professions of 'let's be friends' or 'let's keep in touch."

Ranger looked down for a moment and then raised his head to stare into my eyes. "Babe, I don't want to be friends."

I nodded and started to speak when he put a finger on my lips and said, "I miss you, too. I **love** you, too. I came over here to ask you to spend **Christmas** with me. I was going to tell you that I'm tired of trying to stay away from you and give you time to figure out what you want."

I couldn't speak. I was in shock. Ranger loves me? The soundtrack that lives in my mind immediately cued up "**Joy** to the World."

Before I could process anything else, Ranger gave me an almost smile and said "You've got a little cherry juice there, Babe. Let me get it for you."

I held still, my body tensing. He put his thumb under my chin and tipped it up. He leaned closer and I could see the tip of his tongue dart out as he very succinctly licked his way from my chin to my mouth. His tongue darted in and I could taste both the sweetness of the cherry and the overwhelming taste of Ranger.

Merry **Christmas** to me…

Word Count: 1,032


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